The invention relates to a vehicle assistance device for supporting a driver while driving in a vehicle. In addition, the invention relates to a vehicle having such a vehicle assistance device.
Navigation systems today can support a driver with a route preview, taking into account the expected travel time and the predicted traffic volume. When the driver indicates a destination in the navigation system of a vehicle, for example, a detail of the route is displayed on a screen of the navigation system. In addition to the road system, speed restrictions or predicted traffic jams are displayed in particular. In addition, the estimated travel time can be indicated by displaying the expected arrival time at the destination.
The object of the invention is to provide a vehicle assistance device, which will supply information to the driver when driving a route, so that additional information sources may be largely omitted. Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle with such a vehicle assistance device.
One embodiment of a vehicle assistance device according to the invention includes a control unit for generating data, which provides information with respect to the temporal occurrence of an event along a route of a vehicle and a display unit for displaying a map of the route between a starting point and a destination point of the route. The control unit controls the display unit with the data. The control unit generates the data in such a way that the information characterizing the occurrence of an event is displayed along the map of the route on the display unit as a function of the point-in-time of occurrence of the event.
The vehicle assistance device thus supplies a driver with a schematic diagram of information pertaining to events, of which the control unit estimates that they will occur at a certain time during the trip. The information about the events can be displayed on the display unit in a chronological order of their probable occurrence along a map of the route and provided with time stamps.
These events include, for example, the arrival at, or at least driving by, certain locations at an estimated time, the occurrence of certain traffic conditions, the occurrence of weather conditions at an estimated point-in-time along the route, the occurrence of certain conditions of the vehicle along the route, passing by objects/establishments located along the route, certain traffic rules going into effect along the route and/or the availability or lack of communication service providers as well as radio and television program providers.
The control unit may be designed as a destination/route estimator, which can estimate a destination and the probable route on the basis of available historical information about the driver. On the basis of this destination/route estimator, information that might be relevant for a driver on his trip can be displayed on the display unit. The vehicle assistance device may include an identification unit for recognizing the driver and/or additional occupants of the vehicle. From the multitude of possible information that can be displayed along a route, the control unit can perform individual context-adaptive filtering, taking into account the condition of the vehicle, environmental parameters and driving habits/preferences of the identified driver and/or the additional vehicle occupants identified in the vehicle.
The possible information displayed on the display unit may include, among other things, travel times for various route segments, time loss or delayed arrival times in comparison with “usual” arrival times or appointments from available calendars, for example, a smartphone. Depending on the various appointments or arrivals at different locations, these may be displayed as intermediate route destinations along the map of the route on the display unit. In addition, more extensive details about appointment entries, in particular a group of participants, a location or a starting time and ending time may also be displayed. In addition, various parking opportunities along the route as well as details about the parking opportunities, in particular utilization of capacity, cost, time loss, safety equipment and recommendations/evaluations by other customers may also be displayed on the display unit.
According to another embodiment, the occurrence of a certain weather situation, precipitation intensities, references to snow chain laws, instructions about the possible lack of snow chains in the vehicle, information about toll stations, in particular prices, payment options, probable waiting times or open lanes, predicted rest stops and times, range limits with respect to the available fuel supply and the expected arrival at the last possible gas station in the current country or before a highway, for example, can be displayed. In addition, events detected by sensor units in the vehicle, for example, a dwindling supply of windshield wiper fluid and the nearest opportunity for replenishing the wiper fluid or distant points for maintenance intervals may also be displayed.
Depending on the people in the vehicle, it is possible to display, for example, learned transfer points for car sharing or transfer points to short-range public transportation, for example, park-and-ride sites, locations where friends or acquaintances are staying, for example, rest stops, locations where a driver usually/occasionally stops, comparable locations of the same category, where a driver usually stops as well as details about these locations or locations recommended by friends may be displayed on the display unit. In addition, the positions of vehicles in which friends or acquaintances of the driver are located may also be displayed, which may be advantageous in a joint vacation trip, for example. If other people in the vehicle in addition to the driver have been recognized by the identification unit, then information taking into account the specific interests of the additional occupants may also be displayed. For example, if it is found that there is a small child in the vehicle, then only parking opportunities that permit a barrier-free access at the destination of a route may be displayed.
In addition, traffic rules that have gone into effect may also be displayed along the map of a route on the display unit. At a border crossing, for example, nation-specific details about traffic rules, information about allowed trailer loads, insurance cards, requirements to wear a high visibility vest, toll obligations and the type of fuel in the vehicle may be displayed in the regional language or special speed restrictions, stopping restrictions or parking restrictions may also be displayed. In addition, regions where a certain service is not available may be displayed along the mapped route. This may include a communication service provider, for example, a mobile telephone provider or a radio/television program provider. In addition, regions for which no weather forecast or traffic status prediction has been made available may be displayed.
According to another embodiment, establishments may supply information directly to the vehicle assistance device or to a central office, for example, a back-end of the vehicle manufacturer. This information may then be transmitted from the central office to the vehicle assistance device. The information may characterize a condition of the establishment, for example. If the establishment is a taxi stand or a central car rental office, then information about availability, waiting times, predicted prices or advance reservations may also be displayed on the display unit. If the establishment is an airport, then departure times for booked flights or locations of mobile check-in counters may also be displayed.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.